


Hero (Just this once)

by contrafribulous



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-20
Updated: 2013-07-20
Packaged: 2017-12-20 18:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/890379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/contrafribulous/pseuds/contrafribulous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He•ro  (noun)<br/>1) A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.<br/>2) Something Tony Stark was not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hero (Just this once)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first ever fic that I've published, so please be gentle.  
> (Obviously) Spoilers for the Avengers.

He•ro (noun)  
1) A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.  
2) Something Tony Stark was not.

 

The word hero first meant something to Anthony Stark when he was five years old. Sat on his father's knee, face turned away to avoid the stench of alcohol on Howard's breath.

"Captain America" Howard pointed to the framed poster on the wall with his glass, a little whiskey slipped out and down his fingers when he tipped the glass too far. Tony hoped Howard wouldn't ruffle his hair later. Tony hated the smell of alcohol.

"That's a real hero. Greatest man I ever met" Howard gave Tony a gentle push and the boy immediately slipped off his lap. He went to stand by the poster, placing one hand on the corner of the frame, longingly.

"My greatest creation, he was nothing before my serum. I turned him into the greatest soldier this world has ever seen" Said Howard, placing his glass on the counter-top with a little too much force. His hand would be sticky. Tony really hoped he didn't ruffle his hair.

"What happened to him, daddy?" Asked Tony. Howard cringed a little at the affectionate name.

"Father, Tony, father" Howard stared at the poster for a second, as if lost in thought "He crashed his plane into the sea"

"Why?"

"To save lives. That's what a hero does, Anthony, they sacrifice themselves to save others" Howard said "I don't think I'll ever find a man as great as him ever again" The glance Howard sent Tony with these words wasn't as subtle as he intended and the boy had to look away.

"Anyway, I've got some work to do" Howard downed the rest of his glass, and picked up the bottle, tucking it under his arm as he strode towards the door.

"Happy birthday, Anthony" Howard said, leaving for his workshop.

He ruffled Tony's hair before he left.

****

That word "hero" doesn't come back to haunt Tony for nearly thirty-three years. When he put on the suit.

He wasn't a hero, he wasn't sacrificing himself for anyone. He was getting revenge from inside a metal can.

When he said "I am Iron Man" he wasn't trying to better his own name, he was dirtying Iron Man's. Tony Stark wasn't a hero, people shouldn't think Iron Man is either.

****

The Avengers Initiate. An Avenger. Tony could Avenge.

Steve Rogers looks like he's been dragged straight out of a propaganda movie, red, white, blue and golden. Tony's obnoxious when they first meet. It's unnecessary and harsh. 

That said, Tony's still proud of "Capsicle", he's going to use that again.

****

He stands in the lab, the lab, Tony's domain, proud and tall staring at Tony like he's scum on the bottom of Howard's shoe.

Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

Not hero.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you" Oh yes, this guy certainly was Howard's finest creation.

Cutting the wire. Scientists way out. 

"You better stop pretending to be a hero"

He's not a hero. He grew up with that branded onto his brain. Tony Stark is not a hero.

"A hero? Like you? You're a lab rat, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!" He lies.

You can't construct the courage to throw yourself on a grenade, you can't manufacture affection for your comrades, you can't engineer people to crash their planes into the ocean.

Steve Rogers is everything his father wanted from him and it hurts.

****

Tony takes the weight of the missile, it's not heavy.

This is his chance. Maybe too late, but certainly not too little.

"Stark, you know that's a one way trip"

He doesn't reply because there's nothing he can say. He can't justify heroics to a hero.

As he crosses the barrier, stares up at the sky full of ships and watches Pepper fail to answer the goddamn phone, he realises that this hero thing...well, maybe, just maybe, once in a blue moon, that can be him.

Iron Man can be a hero too. Just this once.


End file.
